Gulf Shores is a step closer to having commercial airline service. The Gulf Shores Airport Authority has voted to fund the engineering phase of a commercial airline terminal at Jack Edwards National Airport, setting the stage for passenger carriers to serve the beach town within the next couple of years.
Already one of the busiest general aviation airports in Alabama, Jack Edwards is targeting roughly 10,000 air travelers annually once service launches. The first phase calls for a two-gate terminal built onto the existing apron along the south side of the airfield, sized initially for commuter-class aircraft.
Control Tower Seen as Key to Landing a Carrier
Airport officials were also expecting final Federal Aviation Administration approval on an air traffic control tower within weeks. Airport Manager Scott Fuller said the added safety and structure a tower brings is a crucial piece of convincing a commercial carrier to commit to the market.
Fuller said demand from travelers is already there, pointing to frequent complaints that visitors must drive to reach the beaches because the area lacks scheduled air service. Market research identified five key origin markets for the airport: Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. He framed the effort largely as an attempt to pull tourists out of their cars on congested Highway 59.
Private Operators Growing Alongside
Charter operators are already expanding at the field. Charter Air and Intensive Air Care, which operates there, has added air ambulance services amid rising charter demand and currently runs two aircraft with plans to add three more. The company’s chief pilot and operations manager predicted the airport will eventually see traffic volumes comparable to Destin and other Emerald Coast airports, with heavier, larger aircraft arriving within five to eight years.
The Price Tag
The terminal project carries an estimated cost of about $5 million, funded by the Gulf Shores Airport Authority with potential contributions from the FAA and interested airlines. Officials said it remains too early to project fares for passengers flying in and out of Gulf Shores.